Nintendo didn't die after snes, they just become more niche and less relevant overall. I don't think that's because of anything THEY did wrong - just evidence of a gaming environment growing around them.

For a niche player, they have been surprisingly scrappy. There's things I like about all of their systems up to (and not including) the wii u, and memories I have of experiences that you just could not find anywhere else. Well, I guess virtual boy was a bust. But they were quick to hop over that mistake.

Unfortunately, gaming is becoming so increasingly segmented now, that just being the BEST niche player out there isn't good enough I don't think. Or they are going after the wrong niche. The DS, the Wii, and even the gimmicky 3ds all really did something you hadn't really seen anywhere else. The N64 and the gamecube pushed technological boundaries, and the gamecube managed to get some decent 3rd party support.

The Wii U is doing something slightly different, but it's more of a combination of the ds multi-screens and the wii motion. Unlike their other experimental advances, Nintendo hasn't really sold to us why this is a good idea. 3ds was obvious, wii has wii sports to really convince you there was something to this weird idea, ds had a few really innovative software to make it intriguing...

The best title on Wii U right now is the new super mario brothers game. It doesn't really sell the HD upgrade, and it doesn't really sell the screen well either. Wii U smells like Nintendo trying way too hard to be fresh, floundering with something that sort of lines up with the direction they want to go, but not really knowing what to do with it.

While the Wii really needed an upgrade, this thing doesn't have any clear advantages over existing systems, and most people are waiting for upgrades to those which aren't far off. I think Nintendo thought that being first to market would be a good strategy here, but biding their time and coming out with something REALLY good in a couple more years would have been a better way to go.

Still, I think we could see this thing start to sell if the price drops and some better games start coming out. I wouldn't discount it just yet.

Someone gets one, throws a party, people play it, people run out and buy it, everyone gets tired of that one or two games and scratches their head on how to use it again.

Mine was free, so I have no regret, but other than Kinect Adventures (on occasion), Just Dance Whatever (in large groups), and Kinect Party (which was also free), I see nothing much of worth. But it's a ton of fun for parties with people that don't tend to play games.

I will buy a Wii U soon, just waiting for LEGO City Undercover to be released.

Beamer wrote on Feb 15, 2013, 13:44:N64 was glorious for 4 player (glorious!) and I'll take the GC over the PS2 any day of the week. For Mario Kart and Smash Brothers alone.

Exactly, N64 rules! Especially when it comes to pure fun and entertainment. They just know how to do same-room MP games. No one else comes close.

Out of my PS3 and Wii, I'd have to say that the Wii is more "fun". But they both don't get played very much at all. Too many games on Steam.

gimmicks don't sell anymore

Tell that to the Kinetic

Nintendo caters quite a bit to the kids/ non-hardcore crowd.

I think you will find this statement to be completely incorrect. There is a lot of adult humour, sometimes very dark and naughty in there games. Sure, they bang the family fun drum, what's wrong with that though?

As for the biggest mistake of the year, hand it over to Playstation, hope they will cave very soon

Hate to admit it, but the Xbox 360 controller is great it just works in your hand so well.

It may be anecdotal evidence to most people, but anyone who follows gaming is aware of the fact that were it not for Wii Sports the original Wii would not have been the sales giant that it was in the last/current/now dying generational console war.

The Wii-U really isn't offering you anything that either the original Wii or the newer consoles already do. Want child/family friendly games? Keep your Wii or get an ipad. Want hardcore games with online matchmaking and a network to keep track of friends? You have that with the PS3 and Xbox 360.

I'm glad the numbers are starting to show what I was saying two years ago. The Wii-U will flop and Nintendo will either go the route of Sega and simply develop games or they will stick to the handheld market....which is dwindling now that you have tablets or smartphones in nearly everyone's home.

For me, Nintendo died after the SNES. I haven't enjoyed any system they've made that has come out after that.

Nintendo caters quite a bit to the kids/ non-hardcore crowd. The problem with this is now they have competition from every tablet and smartphone that's been made in the last year or more. Maybe it's not Mario, but who really cares anymore. It's cute and easy to understand how to play and that's all that matters.

Who's going to keep buying Nintendo hardware when it doesn't do much more graphically than tablet/smartphone you already own, but can't do all the other things that your smartphone/tablet can?

If it continues, it is not impossible to see the Wii U discontinued in 2014. Lack of 3rd party support is a big red flag.

Hell, they've already committed to delivering a package with hardware that's only barely ahead of its 6+ year old competition in order to keep the total cost of the system manageable, with the silly tablet controller that nobody will ever find a real use for. And once 3rd party titles start to actually use the rumored 8gigs of RAM on the next wave of Sony and Microsoft consoles, it won't be any more serviceable as a port box than the original Wii.

That pretty much describes the original wii timeline, as well. But I am (very) skeptical they can keep the previous success. When I think of wii gaming, you had fair/decent stuff from nintendo, and crap ports/cashins/family games (Wipeout! No NOT that one!) from 3rd party.

NegaDeath wrote on Feb 15, 2013, 11:26:They had the same issue with the 3DS, gimmicks don't sell anymore. Then they dropped the price and games started coming out and it is doing quite well right now. Nintendo learns, eventually.

Don't think you can compare. The 3DS was kind of the only option for making portable games that sell at a decent price. It's that or the cheap/free games on tablets and mobile (which is going to be immensely more damaging for whatever portable they do next - I kind of expect it to also be a tablet.)

It's different and more challenging for consoles. Nintendo is dying in front of us right now, and has been for about 18 months. We'll see if they turn it around, but Microsoft and Sony are watching this petrified.

If it continues, it is not impossible to see the Wii U discontinued in 2014. Lack of 3rd party support is a big red flag.

Hell, they've already committed to delivering a package with hardware that's only barely ahead of its 6+ year old competition in order to keep the total cost of the system manageable, with the silly tablet controller that nobody will ever find a real use for. And once 3rd party titles start to actually use the rumored 8gigs of RAM on the next wave of Sony and Microsoft consoles, it won't be any more serviceable as a port box than the original Wii.